first, chuck hagel, the man likely to be the next secretary of defense. the senate armed services committee could vote late next week. >> at his confirmation hearing yesterday, hagel got an earful on capitol hill. abc's jonathan carl reports. >> reporter: a vietnam veteran and former republican senator. chuck hagel found himself and his judgment under attack by a fellow republican and vietnam vet. >> were you correct or incorrect when you said that the surge would be the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country's -- were you correct or incorrect? >> well i am not going to give you a -- a yes or no answer. >> show that he refused to answer the question. >> reporter: hagel did answer, standing by his word on the iraq war and revealing something about the kind of defense secretary he hopes to be. >> i saw consequences, and suffering and horror of war. i did question a surge -- is this going to be worth the sacrifice? we lost almost 1,200 dead americans during that surge. now was it required? was it necessary? >> reporter: hagel the first defense